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NHL (National Hockey League)

Red Wings look to extend their momentum in road game against Blue Jackets

Detroit Red Wings (NHL)

The coaching change to Todd McLellan is proving successful for the Detroit Red Wings as they prepare for Thursday night’s road game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Red Wings have won two of their last three games, including back-to-back victories since McLellan took over from Derek Lalonde on Dec. 26. Detroit won 4-2 against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, giving McLellan his 600th career win as a coach.

“It was more about this group than it is about me,” McLellan said after the win. “There are so many excited guys in there and happy guys right now. Just the whole mood is different than when we started, and that means more than the 600. Some of those guys weren’t even alive (when McLellan started his career), so it doesn’t matter to them.”

J.T. Compher broke a 2-2 tie with a goal at 5:34 left, and Dylan Larkin added an empty-net goal. Jonatan Berggren and Patrick Kane also scored, and Alex Lyon made 23 saves.

McLellan has said that NHL games are often decided by the first team to reach three goals, giving them a strong chance of winning.

“I definitely think he’s right,” Lyon said about McLellan’s theory. “But there’s a process. Getting that first one tonight is massive, and if you can put one on the board, it creates a huge advantage. That’s the recipe in this league — you have to score and be smart and play the game the right way.”

Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL)

Berggren gave the Red Wings a 1-0 lead 7:52 into the game.

“A fine line of attacking, but still playing smart at the same time,” Lyon said.

The Blue Jackets have won three of their last four games, including a 4-3 shootout victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Columbus on Tuesday.

Kent Johnson and Adam Fantilli scored in the shootout, while Elvis Merzlikins stopped two of the four Hurricanes shooters.

“It’s a great result,” said Kirill Marchenko. “I think everybody wants to win (in) three periods, but it’s a great win. Great comeback and gives confidence for us, like everybody play hard today, and it’s awesome. Everybody enjoyed today.”

Dmitri Voronkov tied the game 3-3 with 15:02 left in the third period after assisting on an earlier goal. Marchenko scored twice, Sean Monahan added three assists, and Merzlikins stopped 32 shots.

“Wonderful sign, obviously, moving forward, that we’ve handled adversity up to this point, and now you’re going to have to handle a lot more, right?” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said.

“But to do it against a team like Carolina, which is so good, and to put so much heat on us — we didn’t handle it in some areas, but at the end of the day, we get the job done. And, yeah, we were resilient. We stayed the course.”

Defenseman Zach Werenski had an assist, extending his home point streak to 13 games.

“Any team in this league can win on any night, but I think our mindset is to come in, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing or what the situation is. We’re going out there trying to get two points,” Monahan said.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Wild, top road team in the league, face tough Capitals at home

Washington Capitals (NHL)

The Washington Capitals face a tough challenge in their quest for a fifth straight home win when they host the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.

Washington, which will play four of its next five games at Capital One Arena, has an impressive 12-4-2 record at home this season.

On the other hand, the Wild have the best road record in the NHL at 13-3-3. They have won three of their last four games, including a 5-3 victory over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.

The Capitals, meanwhile, earned their fourth win in their last six games with a 3-1 win over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday.

“There’s going to be points throughout the year where you’re grinding,” said Washington defenseman Jakob Chychrun, who scored a goal and has 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in his last 17 games.

“It’s just finding ways of picking each other up if we don’t have our best stuff. We’ve got guys in here who have won and played a long time in this league. You lean on those guys in those moments, and this group is always sticking together and pulling in the same direction, and I think you see it. It’s evident that the boys love each other in this room.”

Aliaksei Protas scored two goals, and Logan Thompson made 26 saves to improve to 15-2-2 on the season.

Washington captain Alex Ovechkin saw his goal-scoring streak end at four games. This run had followed a long absence due to a broken left leg. The three-time Hart Trophy winner now has 870 career goals, just 25 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record.

Minnesota Wild players celebrate after a goal

Ovechkin has 37 points (19 goals, 18 assists) in 23 career games against the Wild.

Despite Ovechkin’s personal success against Minnesota, the Wild have been strong recently, going 5-0-1 in their last six meetings with the Capitals.

In their win on Tuesday, Minnesota’s Marco Rossi scored two goals and added an assist, while Mats Zuccarello and defenseman Jonas Brodin each had one goal and one assist. The Wild went 3-for-6 on the power play.

“Yeah, I thought it was a really good effort,” said Wild coach John Hynes. “When it comes down to it, both special teams were really good, goaltending was excellent, and … the competitive nature of our team (on Tuesday) was at the level you need to win consistently. So, I really give the guys a lot of credit. (They) dug in and found a way to win.”

Kirill Kaprizov, who leads the Wild in goals (23), assists (27), and points (50), is dealing with a lower-body injury and was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday.

Captain Jared Spurgeon, a defenseman, is expected to have an MRI after being injured in a slew-foot by Nashville’s Zachary L’Heureux, who took Spurgeon’s legs out from under him and sent him into the boards.

Minnesota is expected to call up defenseman Carson Lambos from the American Hockey League’s Iowa Wild. The first-round pick from the 2021 NHL Draft could make his NHL debut if he steps onto the ice.

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NBA (Basketball)

NBA roundup: Josh Hart leads Knicks to 9th consecutive victory

New York Knicks and Utah Jazz

Josh Hart recorded his second straight triple-double, and Karl-Anthony Towns had at least 30 points and 10 rebounds for the third game in a row on Wednesday night, as the shorthanded New York Knicks defeated the visiting Utah Jazz 119-103.

The Knicks stretched their winning streak to nine games, despite being without star point guard Jalen Brunson (calf), who missed his first game of the season, and backup guard Miles McBride, who was expected to start in place of Brunson but was ruled out due to a tight left hamstring.

Hart didn’t score until the final moments of the first half, but he finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists. Towns contributed 31 points and 21 rebounds, becoming just the third player in Knicks history—joining Hall of Famers Bob McAdoo and Patrick Ewing—to record 30 points and 10 rebounds in three consecutive games.

Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson led the Jazz with 25 points each. Utah took an early 18-8 lead but suffered their fifth straight loss. Lauri Markkanen posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, though he struggled with his shooting, going 6-for-22 from the field and 1-for-10 from beyond the arc.

Kings 113, 76ers 107

Malik Monk made key plays down the stretch to help Sacramento overcome a shorthanded Philadelphia team missing Joel Embiid. Monk’s goaltended layup with 33.8 seconds left gave the Kings the lead, and they finished the game with a 15-0 run. Monk and DeMar DeRozan combined for four clinching free throws.

De’Aaron Fox led Sacramento with 35 points, making 13 of 16 shots. Domantas Sabonis added 17 points, 21 rebounds, and seven assists. Eric Gordon contributed 14 points, Caleb Martin had 12, and Andre Drummond scored 10 points while grabbing nine rebounds for the 76ers.

Sacramento Kings and Philadelphia 76ers

Raptors 130, Nets 113

Scottie Barnes led Toronto to a 130-113 win over Brooklyn with 33 points and 13 rebounds, ending an 11-game losing streak. Immanuel Quickley, back from an elbow injury, scored 21 points and added 15 assists. Gradey Dick finished with 22 points and three steals.

D’Angelo Russell, in his first game with the Nets after being traded from the Los Angeles Lakers, scored 22 points off the bench. Cameron Johnson had 24 points, and Keon Johnson scored 17 for Brooklyn, who lost their third straight game.

Nuggets 139, Hawks 120

Nikola Jokic recorded his 14th triple-double of the season with 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 15 assists, leading Denver to a 139-120 win over Atlanta. Russell Westbrook added 16 points and 11 assists, while Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray each contributed 21 points.

Trae Young led the Hawks with 30 points and nine assists, but Atlanta’s four-game winning streak came to an end. De’Andre Hunter scored 20 points in the loss.

Rockets 110, Mavericks 99

Cam Whitmore came off the bench to score 18 points, and Alperen Sengun contributed 23 points and five steals to lead Houston past Dallas. Sengun and Whitmore teamed up in a big second-quarter run to put the Rockets in control. Jalen Green added 22 points, and Dillon Brooks contributed 19 points and six rebounds.

Klay Thompson scored 16 points for the Mavericks, and Kyrie Irving had 16 points and seven rebounds. Dallas, already without Luka Doncic (calf), lost P.J. Washington to a knee injury, and he didn’t return for the second half.

Houston Rockets and Dallas Maverick

Wizards 125, Bulls 107

Jordan Poole returned from a two-game absence due to a hip injury and scored 30 points to lead Washington past Chicago. Justin Champagnie added 15 points, while Carlton Carrington scored 11 points, hitting all three of his 3-pointers. Rookie Alexandre Sarr posted 11 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists.

Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 32 points on 12-of-20 shooting. Coby White scored 17 points, and Nikola Vucevic added 12 points and 14 rebounds.

Heat 119, Pelicans 108

Tyler Herro scored 32 points to lead Miami in their win over New Orleans, sending the Pelicans to their 11th straight loss. Bam Adebayo added 23 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds, while Jimmy Butler, returning from a five-game absence due to illness, finished with nine points in 25 minutes.

Trey Murphy III scored 34 points, one short of his season-high, and CJ McCollum added 22 points for the Pelicans, who dropped their 20th game in their last 21.

Pistons 105, Magic 96

Jaden Ivey scored 22 points before leaving the game with a serious leg injury, as Detroit defeated Orlando. Ivey was injured when Cole Anthony dived for a loose ball and collided with Ivey’s leg early in the fourth quarter.

Cade Cunningham had 19 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. Jalen Duren contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Pistons, who have won four of their last five games.

Jalen Suggs led the Magic with 24 points, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 21 points and Wendell Carter Jr. added 15 points and eight rebounds for Orlando, who has lost three of their last four games.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Hurricanes looking to overcome road struggles as they face Panthers

Carolina Hurricanes (NHL)

The Carolina Hurricanes have been struggling to get the results they want over the past couple of weeks.

They face a tough challenge on Thursday night when they play the Florida Panthers in Sunrise, Florida.

One way the Hurricanes believe they can get back on track is by improving their performance away from home.

“It’s obviously tougher playing on the road,” said coach Rod Brind’Amour.

The Hurricanes have won just one of their last four games, after losing 4-3 in a shootout to Columbus on Tuesday night.

What’s even more concerning for Carolina is their 1-6-2 record in their last nine road games, and their overall season record of 8-9-2.

“We have to figure out what’s going on on the road games right now,” said Hurricanes forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi. “It has been happening for a while now. We have to find a way out of it. Have the same mindset we have for the home games.”

Florida last played on Monday, beating the New York Rangers 5-3 at home.

This gives Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky enough time to prepare for Florida’s first game of 2025.

“He has been very, very good,” said Florida coach Paul Maurice. “I think his last nine or 10 starts, he’s been fantastic for us.”

For the Panthers, starting a new year is significant after their victory in the 2024 Stanley Cup.

“We’ve had a spectacular and memorable year,” Maurice said.

Florida has scored within the first five minutes of a game 12 times this season.

Florida Panthers (NHL)

Despite their recent struggles, the Hurricanes have shown signs of good play in some games, which keeps them hopeful for the future.

“There are certain ways we want to do things, and they’re trying to do it that way,” Brind’Amour said about his players. “It’s not always going to work out.”

The loss in Columbus featured “some weird goals that cost us,” according to Brind’Amour.

At the end of November, the Panthers beat the Hurricanes twice—6-3 in Raleigh, North Carolina, and 6-0 at home in the rematch.

“We were really bad the last two games against them,” Kotkaniemi said. “We need to fix that.”

Spencer Martin, who is now back in the minor leagues, was the losing goalie in both of those games. Florida rotated goalies, with Spencer Knight earning a 20-save shutout in one of those games, which was one of only two times this season the Hurricanes have been shut out.

Carolina forward Jack Roslovic has scored three goals in the last two games. His line has been working well together.

“They’ve been fairly dynamic and we need them on the scoresheet,” Brind’Amour said. “He has been good all year.”

Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola, who has set a career-high with four goals, missed the last two games due to an upper-body injury. He was back on the ice earlier this week. Maurice has called Mikkola the team’s best defenseman this season.

“Not an injury we’re worried about becoming chronic,” Maurice said. “It’s more pain tolerance. That’s not even fair because he’d play with it. We need him to heal a little bit and then he’ll come back and won’t come out.”

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Darcy Kuemper records shutout as Kings top Devils

Los Angeles Kings (NHL)

Darcy Kuemper stopped 33 shots to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 3-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday afternoon.

Kuemper earned his second shutout of the season and 33rd career shutout, moving him into 12th place among active NHL goalies.

Andre Lee scored his first NHL goal, while Quinton Byfield and Adrian Kempe also found the net for the Kings, who have won three straight games and eight consecutive home games.

Jake Allen made 21 saves for the Devils, who have now lost three games in a row in regulation for the first time this season. New Jersey had just come off a 3-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night.

The Kings allowed a season-high 15 shots in the first period but only gave up one goal, while taking nine shots of their own without scoring.

Lee, in his 19th NHL game, got the Kings on the board at 6:23 of the second period. He received a pass from Jordan Spence, fought off defenseman Brett Pesce, and scored with a shot off the crossbar to give Los Angeles a 1-0 lead.

New Jersey Devils (NHL)

Timo Meier seemed to tie the game with a spinning shot from the slot, but the Kings challenged for goalie interference after Stefan Noesen collided with Kuemper. The review overturned the goal.

The Kings held the Devils to just six shots in the second period while only managing three of their own.

Byfield extended the Kings’ lead to 2-0 at 11:01 of the third period after coming out of the penalty box. He finished a pass from Phillip Danault with a shot that beat Allen.

The Devils pulled their goalie with about 4 1/2 minutes left, and Kempe sealed the win with an empty-net goal to make it 3-0 with 4:25 remaining.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Rangers look to address issues as Bruins visit

Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers

The New York Rangers have been struggling in recent weeks, and now they face another challenge with the injury to goaltender Igor Shesterkin. The Rangers will play without him for at least three games, starting with Thursday’s matchup against the Boston Bruins, the last two teams to win the Presidents’ Trophy for the best regular season record.

New York has gone 4-15-0 in their last 19 games, a slide that began after a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 19. Shesterkin was hurt during Monday’s 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers, where he allowed four goals.

He had also given up five goals in the loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday. Shesterkin is now on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, and he will miss at least the Bruins game as well as the next two road games against the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks. Jonathan Quick will start in goal, with Louis Domingue as the backup.

While the Rangers hope Shesterkin’s absence is short, they’re looking to avoid a fifth straight loss, which would tie their worst streak of the season. Their current four-game losing streak has seen them outscored 19-6. Shesterkin himself has struggled recently, with a 1-5-0 record in his last six starts.

Igor Shesterkin makes a save in the 1st period

During their 19-game slump, the Rangers have lost 11 times by two or more goals. In their last game against the Panthers, they battled back from an early 2-0 deficit, tying the game twice through goals from Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, and Chris Kreider.

Despite their effort, they couldn’t get the equalizer. Artemi Panarin acknowledged that while the team is playing better, they’re still losing: “It’s hard to be happy with (playing well), because we’re still losing.”

The Bruins, under interim coach Joe Sacco, have gone 12-6-1 since he replaced Jim Montgomery. They’ve won four straight games and are 5-2-1 in their last eight. In their most recent game on Tuesday, a 3-1 loss to Washington, they struggled with execution.

Despite taking 83 shots, only 27 hit the target. Sacco pointed out that they need to improve their offensive entries and get closer to the net. David Pastrnak, who has been struggling since returning from an injury, has not scored in five of the last six games.

The Rangers won all three meetings with Boston last season, after the Bruins had swept them in the 2022-23 campaign.

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NBA (Basketball)

Nikola Jokic leads Nuggets past Hawks with another strong performance

Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks

Nikola Jokic posted 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 15 assists for his 14th triple-double of the season, leading the Denver Nuggets to a 139-120 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night. This was his third triple-double in the last four games. The 15 assists were just one short of his season-high of 16, which he has reached twice.

Russell Westbrook contributed 16 points and 11 assists, while Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray each scored 21 points for Denver, who have now scored over 130 points in four consecutive games.

The Nuggets recorded a season-high 44 assists and completed the season sweep over the Hawks, having previously won 141-111 in Atlanta on December 8.

Trae Young led the Hawks with 30 points and nine assists. De’Andre Hunter added 20 points, Vit Krejci scored 14, Zaccharie Risacher finished with 13, and David Roddy chipped in 10 points.

Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks

Denver started strong with 40 points in the first quarter but couldn’t pull away, as Atlanta rallied from a nine-point deficit early in the second to take a 62-57 lead. However, the Nuggets responded and led 74-71 at halftime. Jokic was close to a triple-double at the break with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists.

The Nuggets took control in the third quarter, with Porter and Murray hitting 3-pointers, and Westbrook adding a driving layup to stretch the lead to 84-75 in the first few minutes. After a brief response from the Hawks, Denver went on an 18-3 run to push the lead to 20.

Jokic added eight points in the final 3:48 and finished his night with a 15th assist to Peyton Watson, who scored 11 points.

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NBA (Basketball)

Rockets surge in second quarter to beat Mavericks

Houston Rockets and Dallas Maverick

Cam Whitmore scored 18 points off the bench, and along with Alperen Sengun, led the Houston Rockets to a 110-99 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.

Sengun finished with 23 points, six rebounds, four assists, and six steals as the Rockets bounced back from losing their first two games of a five-game homestand. The game turned in the second quarter when Whitmore and Sengun combined for 20 points in a 23-4 run, turning a 10-point deficit into a 53-44 lead.

Jalen Green added 22 points, and Dillon Brooks contributed 19 points and six rebounds. The Rockets played without two key bench players: Tari Eason (leg injury) and Amen Thompson (suspension).

Klay Thompson led the Mavericks with 16 points and four 3-pointers, while Kyrie Irving scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and had three steals and two blocks.

The Mavericks were already without their top scorer Luka Doncic (calf injury) and then lost P.J. Washington to a right knee sprain, which kept him out for the second half.

Dallas Mavericks (NBA)

Dallas started strong, but Houston fought back from an early 10-point deficit with a 12-2 run, capped off by two free throws from Brooks. The Mavericks led 30-24 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second, the Mavericks led 40-30 when Spencer Dinwiddie hit a 3-pointer at the 8:12 mark, making Dallas 6-for-6 from beyond the arc. The Rockets were 0-for-6 up until that point. Sengun started the Rockets’ comeback with two quick baskets inside, followed by a 3-pointer from Whitmore.

Sengun extended the lead to 47-44, and Whitmore added another 3-pointer, putting Houston ahead by seven. Whitmore scored 11 points during this stretch.

Quentin Grimes led Dallas with 17 points, and Jaden Harden added 10 in the first half, but the Mavericks were down 61-52 at halftime.

Houston started the third quarter strong with a 9-2 run, including a 3-pointer by Jabari Smith Jr. In the fourth, after Thompson and Dinwiddie hit three 3-pointers, Whitmore answered with his own 3-pointer, extending Houston’s lead to 104-86.

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NBA (Basketball)

Scottie Barnes powers Raptors to win over Nets, snapping 11-game losing streak

Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets

Scottie Barnes scored 33 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Toronto Raptors to a 130-113 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, ending their 11-game losing streak.

Immanuel Quickley, back after missing 22 games due to an elbow injury, added 21 points and 15 assists for Toronto. Gradey Dick scored 22 points and had three steals, Ja’Kobe Walter added 11 points, Jakob Poeltl contributed 12 points and nine rebounds, and Ochai Agbaji scored 14 points.

D’Angelo Russell, playing his first game since being traded from the Los Angeles Lakers, came off the bench for Brooklyn and scored 22 points. Cameron Johnson led the Nets with 24 points, Nic Claxton had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Keon Johnson scored 17 points, Jalen Wilson added 10 points, and Day’Ron Sharp scored 11 points.

Brooklyn led 33-26 after the first quarter. Toronto took a 45-44 lead when Walter hit a 3-pointer with 6:45 left in the second quarter.

The lead grew to four after Dick made a 3-pointer, but Brooklyn answered with an 8-2 run and led 65-64 at halftime. Both teams shot well, with Toronto hitting 55.1% of their shots (27-for-49) and Brooklyn shooting 50% (23-for-46).

Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks

Toronto came out strong in the third quarter, starting with a 9-3 run. The Raptors’ lead grew to 10 points when Agbaji hit a 3-pointer with 6:25 left in the third. Brooklyn responded with seven straight points.

Noah Clowney of the Nets fell on his back while going for a rebound and had to leave the game with 26 seconds remaining in the third quarter. He did not return.

After three quarters, Toronto led 94-91 and extended their lead in the fourth with a 10-4 run, going up by nine with 8:22 to play. Dick’s 3-pointer pushed the lead to 10, and Agbaji’s 3-pointer made it a 15-point lead with 5:07 left. Quickley’s 3-pointer extended the margin to 119-99 with 4:17 remaining.

Brooklyn’s Maxwell Lewis had to be helped off the court and taken to the locker room after falling late in the game.

RJ Barrett (illness) and Bruce Brown (knee) did not play for Toronto, while Cam Thomas (hamstring) was unavailable for Brooklyn.

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NBA (Basketball)

Heat ride balanced scoring to hand Pelicans 11th straight loss

Miami Heat and New Orleans Pelicans

Tyler Herro scored 32 points to lead five Miami players in double figures, and the Heat defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 119-108 on Wednesday night.

Bam Adebayo added 23 points and 10 assists, Duncan Robinson contributed 17 points, Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 12, and Kel’el Ware had 10 points for Miami. Jimmy Butler, returning after missing five games due to a flu-like illness, finished with nine points in 25 minutes.

Terry Rozier was suspended for one game due to his involvement in a skirmish during a 104-100 win against Houston on Sunday.

Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans with 34 points, just one shy of his season high. CJ McCollum added 22 points, Brandon Boston scored 14, and Dejounte Murray chipped in 12 points for New Orleans, who lost their 11th straight game and their 20th in the last 21 games.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray dribbles against the Houston Rockets during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game

Miami scored the first five points of the second half to take a 61-51 lead. McCollum then hit three straight field goals for the Pelicans to close the gap to three points.

Robinson responded with seven straight points to push the Heat’s lead to 80-70. The Pelicans managed four more points, but Miami finished the third quarter with a 10-2 run, leading 90-76.

The Pelicans pulled within 111-104 after a 3-pointer by McCollum with 2:47 left, but that was as close as they got.

Miami started strong, scoring the first seven points of the game and jumping to a 20-5 lead. Adebayo scored five points, and Herro added four. New Orleans cut the lead to six, but Ware helped Miami extend the lead to 30-19 with five straight points.

Nikola Jovic hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer, giving the Heat a 36-24 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Miami stretched the lead to 17 points before Murphy scored 13 points to help the Pelicans get within one point, 50-49. Butler and Herro each hit a 3-pointer, and the Heat took a 56-51 lead at halftime.

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NBA (Basketball)

Kings close game with 15-0 run to defeat 76ers

Sacramento Kings and Philadelphia 76ers

Malik Monk made key plays in the final moments to help the Sacramento Kings beat the Philadelphia 76ers 113-107 on Wednesday night.

Monk scored a go-ahead basket on a goaltended layup with 33.8 seconds left, then stole the ball from Paul George seven seconds later. He teamed up with DeMar DeRozan to make four free throws that sealed the win.

Sacramento scored the last 15 points of the game to secure their second straight victory.

The 76ers, playing the first game of a back-to-back, decided to sit Joel Embiid, who had been averaging 26.3 points during a four-game win streak. Embiid’s absence allowed George, who scored 30 points, and Tyrese Maxey, who added 27 points, to lead the team.

Despite this, the 76ers led for most of the second half after tying the game 57-all at halftime. They were up by 10 points in the final period and held a 107-98 lead with 3:34 left before Sacramento made its comeback.

De’Aaron Fox started the rally with a floater, followed by two free throws from Monk and a 3-pointer from Keon Ellis. A basket by DeRozan tied the game at 107 with one minute remaining.

Sacramento Kings (NHL)

Maxey missed a short jumper that could have given the 76ers the lead again. This set the stage for Monk to score and give the Kings their first lead since the start of the third quarter.

Monk’s steal from George came during a scoreless finish for the 76ers, who committed five turnovers and had just four shot attempts in the final minutes.

Fox led Sacramento with 35 points, hitting 13 of his 16 shots. Domantas Sabonis grabbed a game-high 21 rebounds and added 17 points along with seven assists. Monk finished with 20 points, DeRozan had 18, and Trey Lyles contributed 12 points for the Kings, who are now 2-1 under interim coach Doug Christie.

For the 76ers, Eric Gordon had 14 points, Caleb Martin scored 12, and Andre Drummond posted 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Maxey also had six assists and four steals in the loss, as Philadelphia fell to 7-13 in games without Embiid.

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Josh Hart posts another triple-double as hot Knicks beat Jazz

New York Knicks and Utah Jazz

Josh Hart recorded his second consecutive triple-double, and Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 30 points and 10 rebounds for the third game in a row as the shorthanded New York Knicks defeated the Utah Jazz 119-103 on Wednesday night.

The Knicks extended their winning streak to nine games, despite being without star point guard Jalen Brunson (calf) for the first time this season, and backup guard Miles McBride, who was expected to start in place of Brunson but was ruled out due to a tight left hamstring.

Hart didn’t score until the final moments of the first half but still ended with 15 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists. Towns had 31 points and 21 rebounds, becoming only the third player in Knicks history — joining Hall of Famers Bob McAdoo and Patrick Ewing — to record at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in three straight games.

New York’s Mikal Bridges added 27 points, while OG Anunoby contributed 22 points. Precious Achiuwa came off the bench to score 12 points and gave the Knicks the lead for good at 26-25 when he dunked to start the second quarter.

New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs

Rookie Tyler Kolek, who had 36 points and 11 assists earlier in the day for the G-League Westchester Knicks, played 12 minutes for the main squad, contributing two points and four assists after being called up due to the injuries to Brunson and McBride.

For the Jazz, Collin Sexton and reserve Jordan Clarkson each scored 25 points, but Utah lost their fifth straight game. Lauri Markkanen recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, though he struggled, shooting 6-for-22 from the field and 1-for-10 from three-point range. Keyonte George added 15 points, and Johnny Juzang scored 10.

The Knicks took control in the second quarter when Towns scored 10 points, helping them build a 13-point lead. The Jazz closed the gap to 77-73 on a Clarkson three-pointer with 3:01 left in the third quarter. However, New York responded with an 18-6 run bridging the third and fourth quarters and eventually led by 20 points as the game came to a close.